Special Announcement
I’ve added a Photography Basics/Introduction To Photography class starting on Saturdays for the April series of classes.
Special Announcement
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Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
During a recent Photography Basics/Introduction To Photography class,
a question came up: “When’s the best time of day to make a photograph?”
Of course, the obligatory golden hours came up.
We also talked about sunny days, cloudy days, and days when it’s both.
I’m pretty sure we covered the gamut when it came to light.
The thing is, all these different kinds of light have different characteristics.
Characteristics like color, direction, intensity, texture, etc.
We could get pretty involved in the characteristics of light, and I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but this probably ain’t a good time or place to do
it.
So instead I’ll just answer the question.
When’s the best time of day to make a picture?
The answer’s simple.
The best time is when we see something that gives us the impulse to take out our camera to make a picture, no matter what time of day.
Light’s always changing.
As photographers, our job isn’t to wait for ideal light conditions—it’s to recognize what we’ve got at the moment and work with it to make the best picture we can; pictures that communicate what we wanna communicate.
When we learn to see light we have at the moment for what it is, not what we wish it could be, our work takes a turn for the better because we become versatile photographers who can make the best picture we can under any conditions.
When we begin to accept the light we
have instead of wishing for it to be different, we learn to use the camera for what it is: a light recording tool.
From there, cameras, lenses, and tools like reflectors or flash become elements of composition and communication so that we
can express ourselves through our photography.
We’re wasting our time looking for the perfect light because the perfect light doesn’t exist
What exists is the light that’s right before us. The goal isn’t to find the “perfect”
light.
Our job is to make the best picture we can with the light that’s right before us.
That’s where
our creativity gets to stretch its legs, and where our best photographs come from.
Ready to put this into practice?
Join the next Photography Basics/Introduction To Photography class, book a series of private lessons, or explore the full lineup of classes designed and taught by me to help you grow into a more confident, capable photographer.
No matter how you study and practice with me, I’ll help you be a better photographer.
Ways to learn photography with me are listed below.
